Corsican Beef and Pasta
Fried Carrots

The Corsican Beef is traditionally served over pasta, as here. It makes enough for 4 people, or 2 meals for 2. It should simmer for 2 or 3 hours and doesn't need any attention. It could also be made in a slow cooker and left for hours!

Corsican Beef and Pasta

Total time: 3 hours 15 minutes prep time This is one of those long-cooking dishes that I love doing during the winter. It's not quite a stew and not quite a pasta. If possible, get 1 or 2 thick slices of dry-cured ham, like Prosciutto, from the meat counter.

Ingredients:

24oz (720gr) beef, suitable for braising or stewing

6oz (180gr) dry-cured ham, such as Prosciutto, Serrano

1 medium onion

4oz (120gr) mushrooms

4 cloves garlic

1 3/4 cups (15oz, 450gr) whole tomatoes, with juices

1 cup (8oz, 240ml) white wine

2 bay leaves

2 tsp dried Herbes de Provence

2 pinches nutmeg

1 tbs olive oil

4oz (120gr) pasta, spaghetti or linguini

Instructions:

Cut beef into cubes 1 - 1 1/2" (3cm), and ham a bit smaller.

Roughly chop onions.

Trim and chop mushrooms.

Mince garlic.

Heat oil in Dutch oven or small soup pot over medium-high heat. Add onions, mushroom and garlic and sauté until starting to brown, about 5 minutes.

Add ham, beef and sauté, stirring, until all pieces are starting to brown.

Drain and immediately return to pan to low heat. Add 1 cup of the sauce from the beef (but no meat) and stir to combine and heat through.

Arrange the pasta on a small platter or two plates.

Remove bay leaves.

Spoon some beef and ham on top or the pasta and serve.

Fried Carrots

Total time: 20 minutesThe first time I made Beef Provencal the recipe instructed to fry the carrots before adding to the stew. They were so good, I started frying them just a bit longer and eating them on their own. It caramelizes the sugars and turns them golden and sweet.

Turn them over and fry the other side. They should be getting a few light brown spots on them where the sugar (from the carrots) is caramelizing. Fry another 7 minutes then check again. The second side will brown faster than the first.

When they are done to your liking, remove to a paper towel to absorb the excess oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve.